Get Up, Get Down

Photo: Skiing Snowy Ridge Lines Crystal Mountain Rocks Snow Trees (Bill Perry/Shuterstock)

NORTH

1- MT. BAKER
The mountain that holds the world record for snowfall—95 feet fell here in 1998–1999—is huge among board-ers and skiers (including Olympian Angeli Van-Laanen) thanks to trees, bowls, and double blacks galore.winter.mtbaker.us
Vertical: 1,500 feet Trails: 38; 23% easy, 35% medium, 42% expert

2- NORTH CASCADE HELI
For untouched back-country, head to the Methow. North Cascade Heli drops into 300,000 acres among the most glaciated peaks in the continental U.S. If one day isn’t enough, try the three-day yurt trip.
heli-ski.com
Vertical: varies

3- LOUP LOUP SKI BOWL Methow Valley locals get their turn. Looking for a cheap thrill? Just $40 on Wednesday or Friday ($45 on weekends) gets you the one quad, a
J-bar, a towrope, and some 300 acres of alpine terrain. skitheloup.com
Vertical: 1,240 feet Trails: 10

CENTRAL

4- STEVENS PASS
Two mountains, three faces, and groomers, gulches, and bowls to spare. This North Cas-cades resort also has night skiing and a park full of boxes and gun poles. stevenspass.com Vertical: 1,800 feet Trails: 37; 11% easy, 54% medium, 35% expert

5- MISSION RIDGE
Being east of the Cas-cades makes for cool, bright winters—and dry powder and blue skies. Take a run on Bomber Bowl and glimpse a B-24 that crashed here in 1944. missionridge.com Vertical: 2,250 feet Trails: 36; 10% easy, 60% medium, 30% expert

6- ALPENTAL & THE SUMMIT AT SNOQUALMIE
The family-friendly Summit features night skiing, 50-plus kilome-ters of snowshoe and Nordic trails, and tub-ing. Alpental, on the north side of I-90, offers more steeps and deeps, as well as 523 acres of backcountry.summitatsnoqualmie.com
Vertical: 2,280 feet Trails: 108; 14% easy, 45% medium, 41% expert

7- CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN
Ascend above the tree line for steeps and deeps, and the chance to drop between trees and rocky chutes at this resort perched in the northeast corner of Mt. Rainier National Park. Don’t ski? Ride the gon-dola for dinner and an up-close view of the mountain. crystalmountainresort.com
Vertical: 3,100 feet Trails: 57; 11% easy, 54% medium, 35% expert

8- WHITE PASS
Combine the state’s highest base elevation with the dry air of the eastern slopes and you get consistent snow, as well as some of the best tree skiing in the state. This über-family-friendly resort, southeast of Mt. Rainier National Park, also has 18,000 acres of cross-country terrain. skiwhitepass.com
Vertical: 2,050 feet Trails: 47; 23% easy, 60% medium, 17% expert

EAST

9- 49 DEGREES NORTH
Come home to moguls, bone-dry powder, and evergreens for everyone. Ditch the skins; the Angel Peak lift grants access to 270 acres of inbounds backcountry. ski49n.com
Vertical: 1,851 feet Trails: 82; 30% easy, 40% medium, 30% expert

10- MT. SPOKANE

This mountain is home to some of the state’s best night skiing and the larg-est certified ski school in the state. Warm up at the summit with fireside hot toddies. mtspokane.com Vertical: 2,000 feet Trails: 45; 23% easy, 45% medium, 32% expert

11- BLUEWOOD

Dry powder, short lift lines, and blue skies make this ski area near the Oregon border spe-cial. Don’t miss a cat ride to Vintners Ridge for tree runs. bluewood.com
Vertical: 1,125 feet Trails: 24; 27% easy, 43% medium, 30% expert

WEST

12- HURRICANE RIDGE
A mile above sea level, this resort offers terrain said to change weekly, uncongested bowls, and the right to brag you’ve skied in the Olympics: Go off-piste and you’re in Olympic National Park backcountry.hurricaneridge.com

Vertical: 800 feet Trails: 10

EVERYWHERE

DIY: Grab a Sno-Park permit (parks.wa.gov/206/permits), rent skis or snowshoes from outfitters such as REI (rei.com), and head to any of the 120 public Sno-Parks. Find every-thing from sledding hills to skate lanes to snow-mobiling, as well as the occasional sled dog sighting.

—JULIE H. CASE

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